WTO Public Forum Opens Against Gloomy Global Trade Perspectives 27/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The 15th World Trade Organization Public Forum, an annual event that brings together stakeholders and members of the public to discuss trade issues, opened today. This year, the focus is on inclusive trade. During the opening session, participants underlined the need for support of micro enterprises, in particular in developing countries. Also today, the WTO released its trade statistics and outlook for 2016, which announced the slowest pace of trade and output growth since the 2009 financial crisis.
WIPO Traditional Knowledge: Text Passes Committee Approval, Goes To Next Session 23/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Intellectual Property Organization delegates today agreed on a text compiling divergent views on how traditional knowledge should be protected in the intellectual property system to be forwarded to the next session of its committee on the protection of traditional knowledge. Some clear dividing lines remain, such as traditional knowledge which is widely known and could have been placed in the public domain, or if conditions of eligibility should be part of a potential treaty.
CETA To Be Signed (Again) During EU-Canada Summit In Mid-October 23/09/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment European Union trade ministers at an informal meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia today agreed on the final steps to enact CETA, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU. There will be no other reopening of the text, assured EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem after the meeting. But ministers have agreed, according to Slovak Minister of Economy Peter Ziga, that some sensitive issues have to be straightened out in an additional annex to the CETA text.
Shared Experiences Of Indigenous Peoples In The WIPO Negotiating Process 22/09/2016 by Alexandra Nightingale for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Members of indigenous communities this week shared their experiences in negotiating for their rights at the World Intellectual Property Organization and gave their advice on negotiations for potential treaties on genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.
Leaks Show TISA No Easy Trade Deal; Civil Rights Groups, Unions Alarmed 20/09/2016 by Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Greenpeace, European Digital Rights, Public Services International and the International Transport Worker’s Federation today presented a collection of leaked papers on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). As negotiators from a dozen countries currently gathered in Geneva for officially the 20th round to close the deal on better trans-border service trading, the civil rights activists and trade union representatives warned that TISA partners would commit to give up their options to regulate in the public interest through a secret deal.
New Suggestions Under Discussion In WIPO Traditional Knowledge Talks 20/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Delegates at the World Intellectual Property Organization have started trying to better clarify the different positions countries have on the protection of traditional knowledge. Today facilitators to the discussions provided textual suggestions on the objective of a potential treaty, the definition of traditional knowledge, and whom the treaty should benefit.
‘Ransomware’ Emerges As A Major Threat To IP Ownership 19/09/2016 by Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Criminals are increasingly blocking access to digitised intellectual property and then charging their victims ransom to get it back, as “ransomware” attacks become increasingly common and sophisticated.
After Two-Year Hiatus, WIPO Resumes Discussions On Protecting Traditional Knowledge 19/09/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment How can traditional knowledge be protected against misappropriation and who should benefit from this protection is at the heart of discussions at the World Intellectual Property Organization this week. After over a two-year hiatus, WIPO delegates are resuming discussions this week on a potential treaty protecting traditional knowledge. The week’s focus is to find common understanding of core issues, such as the definition of traditional knowledge, and the scope of protection.
Albania, Montenegro Amend IP Legislation With EU Bids In Mind 19/09/2016 by Jaroslaw Adamowski for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment In a bid to push forward their ongoing membership negotiations with the European Union, two Balkan States have moved to further harmonise their intellectual property regulations in line with EU legislation. Albania’s new copyright law will enter into force this October, and Montenegro’s amended legislation on trademarks, industrial design and topographies of semiconductor products entered into force last July.
Mass Protests Against TTIP, CETA In Germany 17/09/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments In Berlin, Hamburg and five other cities in Germany, some 320,000 citizens today protested against the adoption of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).